Vuelta al Pais Vasco - Stage 3

stevemarks wrote:

Thanks guys I am still learning so much all the time from playing this wonderful game.

I also have someone in the break today (Landa) albeit in my purist team, makes a nice change.

Does anyone want to give me some tips about how you find guys who might go in the break because its not something that you can lay your hands on stats for very easily?

Sometimes the region they are from.
Maybe looking for a new contract.
Crystal ball

Philip Unwin wrote:

Conversely riders on a team who have a GC contender may be under strict orders not to leave their team leader's side eg Saxo for Contador, which is a shame as I am a big fan of Nicholas Roche, who may not be allowed to attack in the mountains.

Yeah, part of it is down to team politics and sponsors. Spanish teams tend to have spanish sponsors. That means that they want to do well in front of their home markets. That's why the likes of Euskatel, Caja Rural and Movistar might throw guys in the break during the spanish races whereas FDJ, Cofidis, Europcar etc are more active in the french races.

Also Philip is right in that if a team has a rider to protect and a goal such as GC placings or sprint stage wins then they are less likely to use up riders on 'pointless' breaks, Sky are a prime example of this. On the flip side if a team has a strong sprinter they don't need to work so hard for him in the mountains and can allow their climbers to have a bit of fun.

drheaton wrote:

I know full well that if I transfer in Txurruka tonight then he won't do a damn thing tomorrow.

thats why i didnt bother swapping out navarro on day two for him ...i rarely get breakaway guys and if i pick someone who seems to want to go everyday they never do after i pick them....

stevemarks wrote:

Thanks everyone.

I was trying to run a spreadsheet on it but it was too time consuming and I gave up. There were far too many different names too.

That's very serious. Txurruka was a fairly obvious one this time round and I've had him from the beginning, standard only. Fraile, whom I've also got, was cheap and on the invitational team from the country of the race. Picked up Didier as well. Check and see if any of the cheap riders have ever got high in mountain points comps before, tend to go for young ones if nothing else.

The rest of my team is sans Contador as I thought he was a bit pricey, although I expect him to podium at least. I hope he doesn't win.

Got S Sanchez, G Izagirre, Porte, Henao, Talansky and Quintana. 6 decent climbers, a couple can TT, plus 3 for Mountain and sprint points and table and the break; Txurruka, Fraile and Didier. Working so far

drheaton wrote:

Any idea what happened to Sanchez/Fuglsang/Peraud?

3ª etapa Vuelta al País Vasco: Volador Henao (Top 15)

Etapa 3:
1. Sergio Luis Henao (Sky) 3:54:22
2. Carlos Betancur (Ag2r) m.t.
3. Giampaolo Caruso (Katusha) a 5
4. Nairo Quintana (Movistar Team) a 8
5. Diego Ulissi (Lampre-Merida) a 10
6. Richie Porte (Sky) m.t.
7. Alberto Contador (Saxo-Tinkoff) m.t.
8. Simon Spilak (Katusha) m.t.
9. Igor Antón (Euskaltel-Euskadi) a 16
10. Samuel Sánchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) a 21
11. Peter Stetina (Garmin-Sharp)
12. Beñat Intxausti (Movistar Team)
13. Jean-Christophe Peraud (Ag2r La Mondiale)
14. José Herrada (Movistar Team)
15. John Gadret (Ag2r La Mondiale)

ray silvester wrote:

Elissonde and Schleck big flops for me

4,6,7,10,17 and 18 + Txurruka

2,3,4 and 7 GC

pretty poor and was rather hoping that Pink/Blue guy was going to be Cunego and NOT Ulissi

Philip Unwin wrote:

Txurruka probably took the lantern rouge too

Probably worth bringing him in for table points alone, he's got 10 after all with Mountain and Meta Volante and there are still lots of points out there to win so he probably hasn't mathematically sewn it up yet.

chrisdstripes wrote:

Schleck 60th, ahead of De Gendt - that must be his best finish of the season...

He might be worth having by the time the Criterium du D or Tour de Suisse come along.

Wig_Billy wrote:

A good day for both my teams.

Full house for my standard team: 4,5,6,7,8,9,18 + Txurruka & Didier (-20 point penalty).
And only Talansky didn't score for my purists: 2,4,5,6,7,8 + Txurruka & Landa.

Was that a WADA van pulling up outside your house Wig_Billy?

Alan Tullett wrote:

chrisdstripes wrote:

Schleck 60th, ahead of De Gendt - that must be his best finish of the season...

He might be worth having by the time the Criterium du D or Tour de Suisse come along.

He does seem to be slowly getting himself together, would be great if he tries to get into a break this week and show a bit of grit for a change. I personally think a return to form could be a long way off yet...

stevemarks wrote:

Thanks guys I am still learning so much all the time from playing this wonderful game.

I also have someone in the break today (Landa) albeit in my purist team, makes a nice change.

Does anyone want to give me some tips about how you find guys who might go in the break because its not something that you can lay your hands on stats for very easily?

This race lends itself to breakaway points quite well as it has three sprint points and lots of classified climbs within the stages.....for our game purposes you could have a grand tour stage with just 1 HC summit finish that could possibly be the queen stage but only earn sprint bonuses for the break.

drheaton wrote:

I know full well that if I transfer in Txurruka tonight then he won't do a damn thing tomorrow.

He might not have to in terms of winning the KOM?

stevemarks wrote:

Thanks guys I am still learning so much all the time from playing this wonderful game.

I also have someone in the break today (Landa) albeit in my purist team, makes a nice change.

Does anyone want to give me some tips about how you find guys who might go in the break because its not something that you can lay your hands on stats for very easily?

I normally spend about 3 hours considering all of the above points, and then pick Jens Voight.

drheaton wrote:

Amets Txurruka is my new least favourite rider.

For me can never overtake Contador
Lead now 5mins

chiv30 wrote:

well at least thats cleared up and im not going insane....

Yeah Diariovasco and Biciclisimo tend to take it in turns to go to sleep so follow both